Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:17:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Gene McEnnis
Subject: Infected Heartstrings - Chapter 6
*Disclaimer:* If you are not permitted to read stories of this nature
please refrain from reading further. No part of this story may be sold or
replicated without express permission of the author.
**Just a word of warning that this chapter and more to come could very well
contain graphic elements of gore and human suffering.
************************************************************************
Chapter 6:
"Do you have to go?" Wade asked, draping his arms over his lover's
back and leaning forward.
"You know I do," the other man smiled as he fastened a blue clip to
his high collar. His hair gleamed golden blond even in the muted lamp
light that hugged the room.
Wade sighed, "Have you applied for that job yet?" he asked.
"The one training new recruits?" he laughed, "You know I wouldn't
be happy doing that baby."
"But Allan," Wade whispered, leaning in close "We'd get to see each
other every day." He slowly traced up and down the other man's cheek with
the tip of his nose as he spoke.
Allan smiled into the mirror, "You know, you aren't making this any
easier," he said.
"Really?" Wade asked as he leaned back and slipped his hands down
into the back of his lover's crisp pants. He grasped the warm, firm globes
of his lover's ass in both hands and squeezed gently.
Allan dipped down and after a few seconds of squirming finally
managed to escape from Wade's grasping hands, "Training school boys is your
department isn't it?" he asked.
Wade's eyes flared in anger but Allan put a finger to his lips,
"Not at all what I meant," he said. He paused, "Well... kinda what I
meant," Allan smiled, ducking out of the way of Wade's swing. "Now I have
to get dressed and get on that transport," he said, turning back to the
mirror and adjusting his blue clip.
"I just..." Leaning in close Wade nuzzled absently into the fresh
scented neck of the other man. "I.." he began.
"Hey, why're you so worried about this mission anyway, baby?" Allan
asked. "It's not exactly high up on the 'Allan might die' scale."
Wade mumbled something into the back of Allan's shoulder.
"You know I can't hear you when your face is mashed into my back,"
Allan tried not to laugh.
"It's not funny," Wade said, moving his head to the side and
hugging Allan's muscular frame tightly. "I just...." he paused, "It just
doesn't feel right somehow."
The taller blond man sighed heavily. "It'll be ok Wade," Allan
said as he finished buttoning the crisp new uniform. He thumbed the
stripes on the side absently in front of the mirror. Allan turned his head
"Hey now, it should be a day or so at most. I'll be fine."
Wade finally stepped back and turned away from the mirror, "Just be
careful ok?" he said quietly.
Allan just flashed him a wolfish grin, his eyes sparkling.
"We still have no idea what the hell that thing is," Wade said. "I
mean, for all we know..."
"For all we know," Allan pressed his warm lips against Wade's, "For
all we know," he repeated, "I could be back for an unforgettable evening.
With some of that lavender bubble bath you found and some Siath wine like
that time last summer, maybe," he purred with a smile, his eyebrows dancing
enticingly as he held his lover close.
"Hmm, we can hope I guess," Wade bit his bottom lip and let it out
slowly.
Allan smirked and leaned in for one last kiss.
"I suppose you'd better get moving," Wade said finally. Slowly
stepping backwards he hugged himself tightly and looked down at Allan's
newly polished black boots. "That asshole Corrigan runs a tight ship after
all."
"Hmm like a 'tight' ship too do you?"
"You're such an ass," Wade swatted the other man hard on the rump.
"And you love me for it," Allan winked as both men slowly walked
down the narrow corridor.
"Don't press your luck."
The walk to the transport seemed shorter that day. As they fell in
step together Wade couldn't shake the feeling nagging in the back of his
mind like a small child pulling incessantly at your coat. After another
protracted goodbye, Allan was soon whisked off into the high and blazing
twin afternoon suns. Wade stood alone on the tarmac, the wind whipped his
body and stirred up nothing but dread in his soul.
Something just wasn't right.
Soon he could barely see the ship and the roar of its engines were
nothing but a memory. He stayed rooted in place as if his mind was trying
to remember every last detail of the terrain.
Walking back to their shared quarters, Wade reached into his pocket
and held the small metal ring he found there tightly. After he cleared the
door he pulled out the warm metal ring and placed it on his left hand - it
fit perfectly. Still, he paused. Time and again he watched the patterns of
light and shadow that played across its silver surface like some sort of
foreboding portent.
He sighed and looked around.
Spotting his lover's old shirt lying on the floor, Wade curled up
with it in hand and found a soft spot on the bed to drift off to sleep.
The blankets were deep and still slightly warm as he climbed into them like
a cat trying to find the perfect napping spot. Nuzzling his smooth face
into the shirt he tried to remember the contours of his lover's body once
again.
Only seconds after his head hit the blankets his eyes snapped open
suddenly. Wade cautiously sat up and surveyed the room. It seemed larger
somehow; even the colours looked different. With a heavy arm, Wade rubbed
his eyes sleepily.
"Well it's about time."
Wade's heart skipped a beat. "Allan?" he asked, his head snapped
up quickly, looking around.
The voice replied, "You are mistaken - I'm not Allan." Wade
watched as the shirt that he had been sleeping on crawled out from under
him and propped itself up on the bed. In mere moments the shirt began to
inflate as if someone or something was breathing steady lungfuls of air
into the fabric. With steady movements Allan's body emerged from the holes
of the old shirt, fully clothed and smiling. "I'm not Allan," the man
repeated, smoothing out the old shirt he now wore. He leisurely stretched
and flexed his new body. "Ahh, that's much better," the man smiled.
"Allan," Wade gaped at the man, "Allan, this is insane."
The man shrugged and gestured to his right, "That's Allan," he said
matter-of-factly. In the corner a sickly and pale figure stood, slumped
over, his face cradled in his spindly arms. Around his naked body, the
room was awash with dark brambles, a jumble of intricate black veins and
puddles of inky darkness.
"Baby?" Wade asked, his voice betraying the tremors in his chest.
"Allan... are... are you alright?" he asked, reaching out slowly to the
wane man.
As their skin made brushed together, a bolt of sickness passed
between them; Allan's body recoiled with inhuman speed. Allan's once
powerful form bolted upright and screamed guttural howl of soul-wrenching
terror and pain. Wade watched in unrelenting horror as Allan's body
bloomed with a patchwork of black and sickly yellow blotches. The writhing
young man grasped at his skin and tendons as if he were blistering from
within. His broken body doubled over in spasms of agony.
"Oh god," Wade sobbed, he fell backwards to the ground and clutched
his head as Allan continued to writhe in agony.
"Wow, you've really done it now," the other Allan whistled as he
sat on the bed with a look of bewilderment and childish awe.
Wade looked back at the strange man, "He's dying!" he screamed,
"Help him! Please!"
The other man casually shrugged, "Well, only you can do that."
"What?" Wade sobbed, "Can't you see he's dying? Do something!"
The man's face darkened, his eyes glinted with a fire as the room
shrank and stretched around him. "Only you can help him now Wade," he
repeated forcefully.
"I..." Wade began, looking back at the dark horror in front of his
eyes. Allan was now grasping and tearing at the flesh and exposed tendons
with a feverant animalistic rage. "Oh god...." Wade's voice caught.
Wade suddenly froze.
He could feel a tingling sensation burst throughout his chest which
quickly claimed his entire body. Allan's sickly carcass was now gone from
the corner of the room. The colours of the room shifted and solidified,
becoming both clear and enshadowed all at once.
As if on command, Wade slowly turned to face the strange man
sitting on his bed.
Gone was the amused stranger.
No, it was no longer Allan's face that now stared down at him but a
meshed and pulsing face of wet flesh and diseased horror. The creature's
body stirred once; it's head jostled to the side before quickly twitching
upwards and fixing the young man with a hollow, bony gaze. Wade watched
transfixed as the creature slowly opened its slick jaws and screamed a
soundless wail of long fetid saliva before lunging forward with harrowing
speed and accuracy.
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Author's note:
Originally this chapter and the next one were together but this
seemed like a good place to break it off.
As always I hope that everyone's enjoying the story ;),
Again thanks go out to Kane for keeping this story readable :)!
Comments, concerns, constructive criticism = corporeal09@yahoo.com
Cheers,
-Gene